Gryphon
by Tanith
Chapter 1
Music blared around him, pulsing rhythmically in his veins. His head nodded along with the driving bass beat as he watched bodies flash and whirl disjointedly under the incessantly flickering strobe light. Duo Maxwell pushed forward, slipping easily through tangles of bodies, light on his feet, his hand flashing now and then, relieving a few people of their wallets. Glow sticks lit his violet eyes, thin, fluorescent lines of greens, blues and pinks waving, rippling in arcs through the darkened air, distracting him.
A body slammed into Duo, knocking him backward, only to be caught by a hand grasping the front of his shirt, dragging him tightly up against a sweaty t-shirt. The man's chest rose a fell too rapidly, panting breaths washing over Duo as lips pressed against his ear, slurred words moving from the mouth. "Wan' somethin', kid? It'll make you feel real good, no doubt..." the voice was deep, husky, nearly moaning with each shuddering pant as his hands began wandering. Duo's own hands rubbed up the man's front in a series teasing caresses, the tips of Duo's slender fingers just brushing over pierced nipples before he pushed hard against the laboured chest, a glare darkening his face.
Amethyst eyes raked over the larger figure, an eyebrow lifting slightly. "What're you offering?"
The man took a step back, his blonde hair falling over his sweaty forehead and into his eyes, one arm extending, a small bag with three thin, quarter-sized wafers, smiley faces stamped into their pink, purple and green surfaces. Tiny blue squares mingled with them, nearly covered by the larger pills. "XTC and viagra. 'S'a shit, feel fuckin' great and get laid at the same time," the husky voice drawled, a leer colouring his brown eyes.
Duo's eyes rose, disgust barely veiled behind thick ashen eyelashes and he allowed a smirk to tilt his lips. One hand rose, a finger crooking and the man lurched forward as if tugged by a leash. Duo stepped closer, pressing himself against the blonde man. One hand wrapping around the taller man's neck as if to drag him down for a kiss, the other easily lifting the drugs from the blonde's all but lax grip, slipping the bag into his pocket. The hand grazed knowingly against the rock hard bulge straining the tight fabric of the man's pants, drawing a harsh groan. He massaged lightly, chuckling softly as brown eyes closed, taking his chance to release the man, fading expertly into the crowd like a shadow, his laughing voice the only thing left behind as the man opened his eyes in dazed confusion. "Thanks for the candy, man. This shit'll get me some good cash."
Brown eyes blinked slowly, realization dawning when he couldn't spot the short, burgundy-haired boy anywhere around him. "Fuck..."
***
Roughened fingertips moved familiarly over the flat keyboard, the clacking sound filling the air unbroken by pauses. Heero Yuy sat hunched over a dull black laptop, eyes trained on the screen, hardly blinking, his angular face awash with dull green light in the near-darkness surrounding him. He was on his bed, a dull grey, age-softened sheet sprawled haphazardly over his legs, the laptop sitting snugly in his thighs, making him have to nearly fold himself in half to see the screen. His brow furrowed, narrowed eyes glaring hostilely at the screen as his fingers sped, decisively snapping out a series of commands before a small smirk curved his lips.
>...command accepted...
>...loading...
He sat back, hitting the enter button one last time before lifting his hands from the keyboard, absently sucking on the bar the pierced his tongue. One rose to tap against the microphone that curved toward his mouth from where it was attached to a headset which rested snugly against his ears. "I'm in."
"Good. Know who you're looking for, Yuy?" an obnoxious voice flowed through the headphones as if the person were standing right next to him. Heero closed his eyes in annoyance, automatically ignoring the person as a picture blinked onto the screen.
He sat forward again, his thumb moving slowly over the track ball, gliding the image to the side, dark blue gaze sweeping over the choppy image of hundreds of grainy people dancing. Lights flashed, blanking the view every two seconds, making the bodies on the screen shimmer, as if they were floating and not grounded to the dance floor.
"Shitty surveillance cameras, Kayle," Heero muttered, finger tapping the mouse pad, clicking through different views, his eyes flickering rapidly, scanning each scene before changing perspective.
"You got colour upstairs, the downstairs needs shitty, or the strobe will blow the lense," Kayle's nasal voice growled back defensively, obviously annoyed by being second guessed. "Do you--"
"Found Reddings," Heero broke in, cutting the man off with the answer to his question before he could repeat it. "He's got a...boy there, seems to be having fun," Heero squinted, trying to focus past the white flashes as he watched the blonde man in the center of the screen hold a zip-lock bag of drugs to a slender boy with what looked to be a long braid running down his back.
"That should be Maxwell. Short, femme, long hair?"
"Yeah." The teenager pressed himself against Reddings and the strobe flashed as his hand moved, the picture returning only to show a thoroughly distracted Reddings loose the boy and the drugs. "Reddings fucked up."
"How?" the voice snarled, and Heero flinched slightly before shrugging it off.
"Maxwell distracted him and lost himself in the crowd. I'm tracking him." Heero quickly scrolled through the cameras, his eyes glued to the grey and white image on the screen. It was admittedly hard to keep track of Maxwell, his slight form moved like a shadow through the heaving mass of bodies, barely there and the strobe light was not helping. The boy moved toward the back of the club, pausing before a barely concealed gap in the side wall before disappearing up what looked to be a set of stairs. Heero clicked once more, his scowl darkening and he spat out a curse.
"What?!" Kayle barked, echoing painfully in Heero's ear.
Heero grit his teeth, tapping a few keys briefly, "Lost him. Switching to upstairs surveillance."
>...processing command...
"Damn it, Yuy..."
>...command accepted...
>...loading...
"I'm in," Heero growled back, blinking against the sudden brightness of colour. He switched through several cameras before he spoke again. Maxwell was standing before a floor length mirror, not seeming like he was going to move any time soon, as if he were waiting for someone. "Second floor, gallery, he's not moving."
"Understood."
Heero dark blue eyes moved over the surprisingly clear form projected through the camera. His long hair did indeed fall in a rope-like braid down his back, fringe falling in choppy spikes around his face, the blood-red colour the hair bore glinting purple in the bright light of the room. His sleeveless shirt shimmered silver, high neckline stopping just above the base of his neck, a zipper gleaming against the glittering fabric. Fishnets covered his otherwise bare arms, about an inch separating each line, leather straps wrapped around his wrist and bicep, holding the nets in place. Tighter fishnets clung lovingly to his legs, disappearing under baggy black shorts which fell to his knees and there was a bulging button-closed pocket on either thigh. Heavy looking black-leather boots laced up his legs to mid-calf, scuffed and dull, obviously well loved.
Heero sat back again, his eyes not moving from the other boy. "What'd this one do, Kayle? Some dignitary's son?"
There was a brief pause on the other end of the headset before the obnoxious voice answered silkily, "No, he's a thief. We're going to bring him back with us."
"What?!" Heero exploded, his eyes shooting up from the screen to focus on the far wall, dark blue orbs shooting rage. "What the fucking Hell is this, Kayle? I said I'd help you, damn it. I said I wouldn't fucking resist and kill another of your shithead guards if you never made me help bring another goddamn toy to this place."
"Shut the fuck up, Yuy, and focus on the boy. You loose him, you die, got it?"
"You kill me, you loose the best hacker out there," Heero snarled, but settled back into his hunched position, darkened gaze stormy. His fingers lifted to tug at the jet bead on his eyebrow ring in aggravation. He was in no position to make threats, only to yield to them.
***
Duo stared into the mirror, looking impassively into the dark violet eyes of his reflection. Kohl circled his eyes, making them look wide in his waifish face, the strange purple orbs seeming to glow within the inky black rings. Black was smudged over his thin eyelids, a shadow under the glitter that was pushed into a thick line above his eyelashes. His pursed lips were glossed in a dull silver and his hand rose, nervously running through the dark red hair framing his face. The hair on the back of his neck was pricking insistently, a sixth sense screaming that he was being watched and in his fifteen years it had never been wrong.
He shifted, the thin sheen of glitter covering every inch of his exposed skin sparkling with the movement. Amethyst eyes slid closed, his face darkening briefly before returning to his previous expressionless mask.
"Stop pretending not to notice I'm here, Maxwell," a rich voice murmured behind him.
"Then stop trying to sneak up on me, Donovan," Duo's eyes opened, his mouth curving into an impish smirk. It was a completely false expression, but one that was expected of him. His gaze roved over the mirror, coming to a stop on the tall figure standing behind him.
***
"He's got company," Heero muttered.
"Appearance?" Kayle snapped, his amusement with Heero's impotent anger all too evident in his nasal voice.
"About a foot taller than Maxwell. I'd say six-one. Thin. Black hair -- dyed. Pale."
"Solo Donovan, Maxwell's keeper-slash-brother," Kayle confirmed.
Heero raised an eyebrow, watching the taller man turn Maxwell toward him, pinning him to the mirror, his mouth falling familiarly over Maxwell's invitingly parted lips. Keeper, huh? "Incestual?"
"Not actually related."
Donovan released Maxwell's mouth, his lips trailing over his jaw and down his neck. "He seems attached. You're probably going to have to kill him if you want a new 'student' of Maxwell," Heero forced his voice to remain neutral.
A sharp bark of laughter sounded from the headset, "If we killed him it wouldn't be for anything but sport. Donovan sold Maxwell to us."
Heero's eyes narrowed on the screen, focusing on Maxwell's face. Wide eyes were heavy-lidded and staring directly at the supposedly hidden camera.
***
Duo's hands pushed against Donovan's shoulders, violet eyes moving away from the small red light glowing in the wall opposite him to focus on his brother's bright green eyes. Watching me all night... The small knot that had been forming in his stomach all night slowly grew, sitting heavily as Donovan tried to kiss him again.
"Stop, Solo. You and I both know no matter what we do, you never fuck me, and I'm not in the mood to jerk off," the teenager's eyes narrowed as the larger man leaned in again. Duo easily slipped out from under Donovan, his arms crossing, the buckles closing the leather straps on his arms glinting dully in the light.
"Come on, Duo, I have just enough time to remedy that," white teeth flashed in a feral grin.
"Just enough time until what?" Duo raising an eyebrow, amethyst eyes darkening dangerously, but Donovan didn't notice.
"Until you leave again," Donovan took a step forward.
"You're lying."
"You don't trust me."
"Never," Duo sneered, his gaze moving knowingly to the concealed camera.
***
"He knows," Heero grunted, his tongue rubbing the ball of his tongue ring against the roof of his mouth.
"What do you mean?" Kayle ground out, his grating voice lowering an octave.
"The camera. He saw."
"Shit. Watch him, follow if he moves."
The teenager ran a hand through his thick brown hair but remained silent.
***
"So, the little sneak-thief has developed a brain, eh?" Donovan laughed, a slight grin shaping his lips.
"Always had one, you were just too busy trying to get into your 'cute little step-brother's' pants to notice," Duo growled, shifting slightly, stepping backward, toward the door, the wallets in his pockets knocking against his thighs.
"You little shit. That's all you'd be good for, except you're nothing but a fucking cock tease, so you don't even have that going for you."
Duo's eyes slitted. Stalling, stalling... he's fucking stalling. Shit. Donovan had stopped moving, leaving about ten feet between himself and Duo. The door's right there... turn, dash, slam. Cut him off... He's not fast, he's never been fast.
Duo spun toward the door, his booted feet hitting hard against the marble flooring, the wallets slamming into his legs, slowing him down slightly. "Shit!" Donovan cursed, rushing after the slight teenager across the wide gallery. Duo reached the open door, his hand latching onto the knob on the outside of it, pulling it shut hard just as Donovan reached it. He sped down the hall, his brother's shouting echoing behind him, soon joined by other, unfamiliar voices.
Fucking Hell...
***
Heero clicked rapidly through the screens, following Maxwell's flight through the second floor. He remained silent, not even considering telling Kayle where the boy was, silently urging him to move faster.
"Yuy!"
Fuck.
"What?" the dark-haired teenager snapped, fingers plucking irritably at his eyebrow ring.
"Where the fuck is that kid?!" Kayle was seething, sounded like he would explode at any second.
"I don't know," Heero lied, smirking as Maxwell raced up another flight of stairs, his braid trailing in the air behind him. He punched a few keys, fingers tapping silently against the matte black surface.
>...command -- switch:surv3rdflr...
>...processing command...
>...command accepted...
>...loading...
"Don't fucking lie to me, Yuy," Kayle's voice had lowered threateningly and Heero's hand faltered, but he quickly steeled himself. The screen came back into focus, the darkened third floor small, only an attic room.
"I'm not." Maxwell was kneeling beside the bed against the far wall, his hand lost in the darkness beneath. He dragged it back out, clutching a duffle bag, already packed, before flying easily back onto his feet, moving to the window at the foot of the bed.
"Damn it, Yuy! Shit!" There was a clatter, the headset connected to Heero's hitting a hard surface. Kayle's voice still came through barking off orders, but it was muffled assumedly talking into another microphone. "Loke, take Davion and Kel, go to the third floor. If Maxwell's up there he's trapped."
Maxwell's fingers were prying at the window sill, trying to push it up, his fist beating against the thick glass.
The voice moved, "Santino, get your ass to Yuy's room. Bring him up here. Now!"
Shit.
Maxwell backed away from the window just as Heero's fingers moved, jabbing decisively at the keyboard.
>...command -- system: shutdown...
>...enter password: chimera...
The boy moved to the window on the other end of the room, pushing it, unable to move it, his head falling to hit on the glass, once, twice.
>...password accepted...
>...processing command...
Maxwell ran to the door, throwing it open.
>...command accepted...
>...shutdown complete...
With a crackle his headset died to Kayle's shouting on the other end. The room went fully dark around Heero, the metallic clang of the lock in his door automatically sliding home ringing through the room. Heero fell backward onto the bed, jostling the laptop, nearly toppling it to the ground.
He had shut down the Gryphon Academy’s main computer, only a brief respite, but hopefully enough.
Good luck, Maxwell.
***
Duo threw the door open, running out of his room, only to be stopped at the base of the stairs. He backed up a step, but one of the three men there caught his arm, clenching his fingers in a painfully tight hold.
"Duo Maxwell, you're under arrest for larceny..." he stated, his hand riffling through Duo's left pocket, tossing the leather and canvas billfolds to the ground. His hand moved to the other, drawing out the Ziploc bag, "...and possession of illegal drugs."
Duo swallowed, resisting the urge to struggle, his eyes impossibly wide as one of the other two smirked viciously, snapping a pair of handcuffs closed around his wrists. They led him out of the stairwell, toward the back exit of the second floor. Duo tilted his head to the side just in time to see Donovan grinning smugly, his hand raised in a chipper wave, sending numbed rage boiling through Duo.
"Bye-bye, little brother..."
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